Hat-press.



F. HERR.

HAT PRESS.

APPLICATION msn 11111.12,1916.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

A TTORN E YS mc :www: Pneus co.. Fuomuma. wAsmNc mw u c FREDERICK HERR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

HAT-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

Application led January 12, 1916. Serial No. 71,682.

To all whom t may concer/n Be it known that I, FREDERICK HERR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, Astoria, borough of Queens, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Hat-Press, of which the following is a full, clear,.andexact description.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: to provide means for shaping hats constructed from braid or similar material and for drying the same coincident with said shaping; to provide a dry medium for pressing the hat form to a commercial shape and thereby avoid the uncertainty of shape in the final product, to which the present method is subject; and to provide a simple, durable and eiiicient mechanism for attaining the objects above stated. y

Drawz'ags.-Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a press constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a mechanism constructed and arranged in accordance with the modified form of the invention.

Description-As seen in the drawings, a metal dome 7 forms in conjunction with a bottom 8, a chamber 9. The bottom 8 has a central opening 10, which in service is partially closed by a supporting tip 11. To seal the chamber 9 when in service, a flexible gasket 12 is employed, which gasket is fixcdly attached to the bottom 8 and overlaps the edges of the opening 10, the edge of the opening in the gasket 12 having a lesser diameter than the opening 10. Thev gasket 12 is constructed preferably of rubber, which being stretchable and resilient expands to permit the introduction therethrough of the tip 11 and which resumes its original condition when the said tip is wholly or partially withdrawn.-

The preferred form of the invention further provides a base plate 13 at one side of which the chamber forming the dome 7 is hinged, the said vdome being provided for this purpose with a hinge knuckle 14, through which passes a pin 15. When the dome 7 is closed upon the plate 13, rit is held thereon by a latch 16. To raise and lower the said dome, there is provided a handle 17 of `any conventional and approved shape. The base plate 13 in the preferred form is provided with a central depression which forms a chamber 18, wherein the tip 11 is normally held and wherein it is elevated and lowered by a screw 19, the operator rotating said screw by means of a hand wheel 33. The tip 11 is raised by the screw 19 through the opening 10 to expand the inner edge of the gasket 12 and to diminish the free space in thev ychamber 9 under the dome 7 For the purpose of introducing pressure in the chamber 9 under the dome 7, an inlet pipe 20 and controlling valve 21 therefor is provided. The pipe 20 is connected with any suitable supply of expansive medium,

such as steam or hot air, which when the dome 7 is locked in position on the plate 13 is introduced into the chamber 9 to press the hat form to the commercial shape corresponding with a hat block 22 which is placed on and supported by the tip 11. The hat form 23 is `protected from contact with the medium byr a sheet 24. The sheet 24 is preferablyformed of rubber or suitable rubber composition adapted to withstand steam and the action of hot air. It will be understood,

however, that any material that is suitable to protect the hat form 23 may be employed.

To avoid trapping the air or steam under the cover sheet 24, the tip 11 is provided with a series 'of perforations 25 extending therethrough, leading into the chamber 18, from which any accumulation of air or steam is permitted to escape through openings 26 formed in the bottom of the chamber 18.

In the modied form of the invention,

shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the base vplate 13 and the chamber 18 pendant thereries of latches 16. In this form of the invention, when the latches 16 are released vfrom the dome 7, the said dome is bodily removed from the working position.

A' further modification in this invention, consists in that the gasket 12 is omitted and a hollow bag 28 of yielding material rests directly on the bottom 8,'the annular edge whereof supports the bag when the said dome is lifted, the bag extending through the opening 10 in the bottom 8. In this form of the invention, the table 27 is furnished with a series of perforations 30, by which the trapped air or steam generated in the operation is permitted to escape.

Operation-When employing a press constructed and. arranged in accordance withr -`23" and about the sides of the tip 1-1. The

dome 7 is nowdisposed in service position on the plate 13 and the 4latch 16 is movedto engagethe dome to lock the same in service position, with the gasket 12 slightly expanded over the sheet 24 'and the ytip 1l.

' Thefscrew 19 is manipulated to lift the cone- Vthe' block v22.

shaped'tip 11 upward through the gasket 1,2, raising and expanding the innerl edge thereof and ca usingthe gasket'to assume the position substantially as shown in Figl- 1 of thefdrawings. A slight` drag is imposed on thecover sheet 24,l bythe gasket 12, so that'all wrinkles or slack inv thecover sheet are removedtherefrom prior to introducing vthe pressure medium through the pipe 20 andvalve 21 thereof. The proper altitude in the tip 11 having been attained,'the operyatorjopens the valve 21and permits the `pressuremedium to enter thechamber 9. After vthe tip `ll hasbeen adjusted to the working positiomit will'be understood thatit'is not necessary to again adjust the tip,as it will be found that when the dome 7 is lifted, the gasket`12 is removedv from its vengagement with the cover 24, which lmay be removed from the hat form 23 and replaced lthereon at'will. Y, v

' As above stated, the pressure medium may be steam or hot air. The heated air is that which is preferably employed, as the drying action thereof is superior to that of steam, unless the steam isheated to a degreedangerous to the material of which the form 23 and its coveris constructed. `When the pressure medium is introduced into the chamber 9,'the cover 24 and form 23 are forciblyc'ompressed on the block 22 and upper surface of the tip l1. s lon@ as the pressure is maintained, the form 23 is held closely on Any air trapped under the cover 24A is permitted to escape by way of the lperforations-25 and 26. If'in the process of manufacture, the Vform 23 hasbeenpreviously steamed or dampened, any-steam generated or trapped under the cover 24 is permitted to"lescape by way of the said 'perforations At the'end ofthe'operation,

it will-'beifound thatthe form 23 isdeiinitely dried`,-'thusavoidingthe Adanger yof change y.subsequent tothe pressing loperation. f `f "Toallintents and purposes the operation le there@ when usingthemfzslied im,

the chamber with'n pipe 31 is provided, whereby the hot air or steam used as the pressure medium may be permitted to escape and conveyed away. In the preferred form, shown in Fig. 1, the delivery pipe 31 is controlled by the valve 32. In the modified form of the invention, the valves for controlling the admission to the pipe 20 and iiow through the pipe 31, are omitted, it being understood that valves controlling the saine may be located adjacent to or remote from the table 27.

Claims:

1. A hat press comprising a member for supporting a hat block; a dome removably disposable forcovering said member; a flexible gasket extending between said dome and member and forming therewith a4 pressure chamber, said gasket preventing the escape of an expansive medium from said chamber;

means embodying Va supply of expansive ble gasket extending between said dome and member ,and forming therewith a :pressure chamber, said gasket preventing lthe escape of an expansive medium from saidchamber; means embodying a supply of expansive medium and inlet vpipes therefor entering p said dome; a cover sheet for said block and forf a hat form thereon, said coversheet extending in service .between saidblock and said gasket; and means for releasing airfrom between said cover sheet andsaid member.

3. vA hat press comprising a member for supporting a hat block; a dome `removably disposable for covering said member; a flexible gasket extending between said dome and member and forming therewith a pressure chamber, said gasket preventing the .escape of an expansive medium from said chamber; means embodying a supply of Vexpansive medium and inlet pipes therefor entering the chamber within said dome ka cover sheet for said block and for a hat form thereon, said cover sheet extending in service between said block and said gasket; and means for releasing air from between said cover sheet and said member, said last-mentioned means embodying a series of perforations in said member.

4. A-vhat press comprising a member for supporting a .hat block; a removable cover sheet -therefor,said sheet being adapted t0 cover said block and'said member; afbase plate supporting said member; a dome pivotally mounted on said base plate for disposition above and inclosing said member and the block thereon; a latch for locking said dome in service relation; a liexible gasket extending between said member and said dome for preventing' the escape of expansive medium from the chamber formed by said dome; and means for introducing an eXpansive medium under said dome, said means embodying an inlet pipe opening` within the space below said dome.

5. A hat press comprising a member for supporting a hat block; a removable cover sheet therefor, said sheet being adapted to cover said block and said member; a base plate supporting said member; a dome pivotally mounted on said base plate for disposition above and inclosing said member and the block thereon; a latch for locking said dome in service relation; a i'leXible gasket extending between said member and said dome for preventing the escape of eXpansive medium from the chamber formed by said dome; means for introducing an eX- ypansive medium under said dome, said means embodying an inlet pipe opening within the space`below said dome; and manually-controlled means for releasing the expansive medium from said dome.

In witness whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK HERR.

Witnesses:

E. F. MnnDocK, G. I-I. EMSLIE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington,D.C. 

